05/19/11 klh

HAYS, KS - Fort Hays State University's School of Business, with the support of the FHSU Small Business Development Center, will host the Kansas Jubilee Conference Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 2011 in FHSU's Memorial Union.

The Jubilee is a two-day conference of workshops, seminars, panels and networking covering eCommerce venues and techniques for success. Expert sellers from eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Bonanza and eCommerce will present the workshops, including optimizing social networking for eCommerce and search engine optimization. The cost is $49 per person and registration is limited to 200 participants.

Joyce Banbury, Russell, an eBay and online seller, is instrumental in bringing the conference to Kansas. She promotes Kansas and rural lifestyle whenever the opportunity arises and feels the Internet has opened the door to allow independent businesses to prosper in rural areas.

"I've watched Kansas main streets dwindle and die for 30 years. When I discovered eBay in 1998 and became a power seller, I realized the potential of Internet marketing for rural areas. With the coming of high-speed Internet to many rural areas, the door opened to utilize the Web as a valuable tool rural economic development," said Banbury.

The 2011 Jubilee Conference was expanded to include other online selling venues, eCommerce and social networking. eBay, the world's largest marketplace, provides the perfect venue to start, build and/or grow an eCommerce business. Social networking is the tool to make that expansion work, when used correctly.

"It is exciting to have so many exceptional people willing to present workshops at the Kansas Jubilee," she said. Jim Griffith, senior manager of Seller Advocacy, eBay author and dean of eBay University will be back to conduct workshops. Cliff Ennico, attorney, author and small business tax expert will discuss online tax responsibility, and Cindy Shebley, author, eBay power seller and speaker at Amazon's national conference, will discuss cross-venue selling and catalog photography.

"It is wonderful to bring this quality of learning, networking and fun experience to Kansas. It is even more exciting to realize we can live in our hometown and earn a part-time, full-time or operate a business with little more than a computer and Internet connection. For rural areas, the Internet is an open door to expand, grow or start a business as eBay and eCommerce enables entrepreneurial success," Banbury said.

For more information or to register, visit kansasjubilee.com or contact Banbury at 785-483-6300.